a flowery Saturday!

 First stop is the Passieflorahoeve(click)

5 different butterfly gardens, one being a wild flower meadow!

A beautiful passion flower and fuchsia collection!

photo from Peter's collection

No plants for sale here! 

 Then a Summer time visit to Het Loo Palace(click)

to see how the garden renovations turned out!

It is amazing! 

They really got this one right!

photo from Peter's collection 

Here I am....

 ...and here's my picture!

Lots of flowers to see! 

And here's the tea break this afternoon! 

Good morning!

Google Images 

How creatively clever is this tiniest sewing room!(click)

it's just 6 cm by 9.5 cm! 

Wishing you a flower filled Friday!

Summer images!

 

Found this recipe for
 camp-fire-roasted-marshmallow-strawberries

I'll make it indoors and use a torch for soldering/creme brulee!

Rain at the moment! Great for the gardens!

Digital Kaleidoscope Mandala!

Once you learn how to do something, 

sometimes it's great to repeat the process!

Hosta moment!

Wishing you a good week ahead!

To the manor born?

(click on the photo's too see them enlarged)

 27C today! Let's visit Country estate, Hemmen Manor (click)

700 ha, one of the biggest private estates in The Netherlands!

Not much left of the Manor!

 But the walled garden is so full, in bloom!

 Agapanthus 'Midnight Blue'

 "A walking tour through artistic Hemmen"

 The folder's cover, a postcard painted in 1960

This is what the same place looks like now!

The trees have grown! The rest is the same!

Hemmen, a lovely place to visit on a warm Summers day!

then on the way back home....

" When all at once I saw a crowd, 

A host, of golden daffodils;" ?

 No, they're the flowering vines of pumpkins yet to come! 

Hard to believe that Autumn begins in just 2 months!

at home in the garden...

10mm rain early this morning! plus those warm days =

 mosquito season! It has really started now!

 After it dried out a bit, it was time to change this....

 to this!

 The scented hostas are blooming!

It will be nice to keep them in check instead of the slugs and snails!

Hosta 'Cathedral windows', 'Guacamole' and 'Diana remembered'

Het Gazebo!

(Google Images)

What a warm Summer day! 

Another new weather record...

...the warmest July 20th! 32+C in De Bilt!

The Dutch Hosta Society(click)
was busy at Het Gazebo!
Now it's time to cool off!

Hollyhocks and Hostas!

 A hollyhock in the garden!

A hosta in bloom! 

Great Bee activity in the garden!

If you're in the area...

You have to visit The Fantasy Garden(click) ! 

A garden full of colour!

Amazing structures!

 Paths to follow!

 To amazing views!

 Like this one!

Don't forget to look up as well!

 Take a break! We have time!

 Wow!

 Everything fits together!

 A bridge to cross!

A room with a view!

Building ideas!

And flowers! Lots of flowers!

It's in Oldebroek if you have the chance!

A few pounds were lost in London!

London for a Day

 Traditional London sights

A trip to London for a day! It can be done! Thanks to an offer from the Netherlands Automobile Association! A late, overnight ferry crossing 10 pm Tuesday, a 7 am bus that gets you into downtown London for 9.30 am Wednesday! There's a great guided tour, coffee, and a half a day to explore on your own! Then it's back for the 11 pm ferry that get you back early the next morning, 8 am Dutch time! Don't for get to enjoy that English breakfast  on board the ship!  

 A bit of modern London and decor!

Great food at All bar One!  

Convent Garden for great shops!

 A bit of nostalgia!

Seen on the tables where we enjoyed our coffee break!

 The only snail I saw in London was this one!

bottom left corner, just above the frog

 painted in 1668!

 The reason for this photo....

 Its address! 68 1/2 Upper Thames Street, EC4

I have google this!

 A few pounds were lost in London! 

Mugs to fit every moment of the week!

And a poster from The national Gallery

The real painting was amazing! Inspiring!

Thanks ANWB for a great organized trip!